Banjo



'C. B. RAUCH.'

BANJO.

APPUCATION FILED DEC. 15. 19:9.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Fig. 3

' INVENTOR. 6.4% Q. BYUVM 4A,. ATTORNEYS.

PATENT OFFIQE.

CHARLES B. RAUGH, or DAYTON, OHIO.

7 BANJO.

Application filed December 15, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ormnnns B. RAUoH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Banjos, of which the following is a specification.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide in a banjo or like instrument means that will effectively resist the heavy pull on the strings. To this end my invention contemplates the making of the banjo body or ring in sections comprising segments that contain wood which is largely straight-grained to impart strength and rigidity to the instrument.

Another object of the invention is to impart strength to the instrument, by providing a rigid truss rod that projects diametrically through the space within the body from an adjusting nut on one side to a neck clip on the other. This structure balances the pull of the strings on one side, effecting a counter pull on the other.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specification and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through my improved banjo and the inner neck portion thereof. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the body of the banjo, show- .ing the segmental rings of which it is composed. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the banjo body. And Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the neck clip which receives the truss rod.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts.

In a detailed description of the preferred form of embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates the body of improvided banjo. This body is preferably made up of four rings of wood, which are designated by the numerals 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Each ring preferably comprises four segments the wood comprising which is largely straight-grained to impart strength to the instrument. Where the body of the instrument consists of one piece of wood, it is diflicult to get as straight a grain throughout as in the case of my instrument where the body is made up of a plurality Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Serial No. 344,893.

of rings and each ring contains a number of segments.

To impart additional strength to the banjo, I provide a metal truss rod 6 that projects through a transverse hole in the wall of the body 1, into a threaded hole in the upwardly projecting portion 7 of the neck clip 8. The latter has a flat semi-elliptical portion which is' firmly secured to the bottom of the heel part of the neck 9 of the banjo by screws l0, 10, while its upwardly projecting portion 8 enters a recess provided in said neck, to receive the inner end of the truss rod 6. At its outer end the truss rod passes through a transverse hole in the wall of the banjo body, terminating in an adjusting nut 11 by means of which said rod may be turned into and out of the neck clip 8, to increase or lessen the tension of the instrument. This truss rod balances the pull exerted by the strings 12 on top of the instrument, by effecting a counter pull below from the bottom of its neck portion to the front portion of its body. Strength and rigidity is thus enhanced by the cooperation between the strings and the truss rod, in making their pull uniform.

Through a vertical hole in the adjusting nut 11, there passes a bracket pin 13 to main tain said nut in an adjusted position. At its upper end said pin is connected to the usual banjo tail-piece 1 f.

Seated on top of the ring 5 of the banjo body 1, with its outer face approximately flush with the outer surface of the body, is a metal ring 15 over which the head 16 of the instrument is stretched. The outside free edge portion of said head after being turned over the ring 15, is looped around a wire or other metal hoop 17 whence it is brought upwardly to be wedged between said ring and a metal rim 18 above said hoop. The rim 18 contains a series of downwardly inclined holes in its outer wall to receive the downwardly inclined hook ends 19 of pins 20. The lower ends of the latter are threaded through outwardly projecting brackets 21 secured to the outside middle periphery of the segmental body 1. The downward pull exerted by these pins 20 on the .metal rim 18. may be adjusted by nuts 22 which they receive on their lower ends. This pin and rim construction is not only eh'icient, but it prevents the sleeve of the player from being torn, for the pins 20 do not project above or beyond the rim l8to catch the clothing, but instead their hook portions are concealed within said rim. Having described my l-m entlon, I claim:

1. In a banjo, the combination with a neclg portion, of a hollow body consisting of'a' plurality of superimposed rings, each ring comprlsing a plural ty of segments of wood,

' forithe purpose specified. I

va series of brackets secured to the outer face 7 of said body below said holes, andpins whose 7 lower ends pass through said brackets and 15 whose upperends are downwardly inclined for entrance into the holes in said rim, for the purpose specified. 7 V

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of December, 19 1-9;

CHARLES B. RAUCH.

lVitness: V v

HOWARD S. SMITH: 

